Telephone address index



Feb. 1951 ca. MENNING ETAL TELEPHONE ADDRESS INDEX 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1947 INVENTORS.

LIZ/U9 a5 75 @r/zar G. MENNING ETAL TELEPHONE ADDRESS INDEX 3 Sheets- 2 Filed July 1947 Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10- Claims.

The present invention relates to an index" or register for recording and quickly selecting and making available'the' telephone number, address or other desirable data or information,- and more particularly to a novel means and mechanism 5 which may be rapidly initiated or actuated by a single manipulation of a key or push button for selecting the desired information, and which is positive in operation under any" and all condi= tions of use.

One of the important objects-of the present invention is to provide a novel combination and assembly for the selective operation of an index whereby to'sele'ct and expose or mereavail-able the data or information desired, and whichauto matically' returns the selector mechanism to in operative position when closing thecbv'r'. I

The present selectorniechanis'm is'key actuated and provided with novelintei'engagifig' ineoha nism s0" d'sigild" and constructed aste als's'flf positive operation of the index undei all c id tions and requiremerits'm use; The'ifiventioii" coifiprehehds a fiov'eiana "e e'nt and'eor'istruc tion of indexing niechaiiis'in' including" seie'eter member's aotuated by'de'pfessi'fig" o'ne of" aIplii rality of keys and a sliding" plate sopositioiid as to automatically" return any and'all selector members to their normal of neutral pesi'fioa ready forsubsquent operationl I I Another important feature of" the presentmvention is the provision of a nov'el te nsiori'ni'eaiis for returning each" of the keys? piish buttons" and its respectiveselector arm actuated'thei'eby" to their normal or inoperativepositionafterthey' have been depressed for selecting the" desired card or sheet and for releasing thecover' canying the selected cardor sheetjwher eby to'niake the selected iniormation available. I

The invention further comprehends a; novel construction and arrangement of selector arms and in the novel meansand manner of guiding such arms when actuated by depressing a'selected one of'a plurality of keys or push buttons.

The present invention further comprehends a; novel plate or holder forminga support for thesheets or cards on which the data or'information to be made available is collected, and provided with means for securely 'retainingthis supporting plate or holder and the sheets'or cards carried thereon against accidental displacement I Other important objects are'to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efliciency, economy and ease of assembly-and operation, and such i urther objectaadvantages and" capabilities as will later-more fully appear and are inherently 55 possessed thereby.

The invention-further resides in the construction; combination andarrang'g ment of parts il-' lustrated iiithe accompanyingdrawings; and Whilethereis showntherein :9; preferred err'ibodi'-' merit, itis to beundei'stood that thesame'i's sus ceptible-gof niodification and" change; and comprehends-other details; arrangements of parts, features and cc'n structions without departing from the spirit of the' inventio n.

In" the drawings? I I II II II Figure l is"a v iew in persp'ective of the novel index assembly in closedposition; and showing in dotted lines the position of the cover or closure when the" latter is reieasedandmoved to openposition' by depressing one'of the keysand push buttons: I I

Fig. 2; is a top' plarr'view of the novel index assembly in cldsed position but with parts'of' the cover or closure broken away'to' show theinterior construction. II I I I Fig. 3 is a fragmentary"enlarged'view'in vertical cross 'section taken in a planerep'resented by the line 3'-3 of Fig; 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective showing the" assembly and manner of operating" thesliding plate'carrie'd by the cover for returning the selector wire's'to' inoperative" position when thecove'r' is closed;

Fig. 5 is an emerged fragmentary view in'verth cal cross-section throughthe forwardendof the index and" showing" the cover after being released by actuating a key or push button and beginning its upward movement to open position.

Fig. ,6 is 'a" fragmentary view similar to Fig; 5 but showing the" position of the parts when the spec'tive disclosing one of'the selector ar'rnsand its associated assemblyfor indexing one or the sheets and actuating' the trip mechanism.

Referring to the disclosure in the drawings and to the illustrative embodiment therein shown, the novel telephone-addressindex or register com prises a base I provided with spaced upstanding side walls 2, an end wall 3 at the rear thereof and a front wall 4 inclined upwardly and rear- Wardly' to provide a ledge or inclined surface having a plurality of slotso'r openings 5 to receive a series of vertically disposed actuating keys or push buttons 5. These keys or push buttons are preferably located in two rows and may be in staggered relation, with each key or button being marked with one or more letters of the alphabet. A cover or closure 1 is pivotally mounted on the base at the rear thereof by means of spaced de pending lugs 8 each provided with an opening adapted to receive and permit passage therethrough of an end of a cross rod or pin 9 having its opposite ends journall-ed in the side walls 2 of the base. A coil spring IS encompassing each end of the cross rod or pin and having one end H engaging the underside of the cover I and the other end I2 seating upon a longitudinally extending ledge 53 provided at each side of the base I, is adapted to tension and raise the cover to a substantially vertical position for exposing the face of one of a plurality of indexing cards or sheets 54 and the back of an adjacent or succeeding card or sheet. The coveris spring-biased to open position whereby when it is released the cover automatically assumes the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. The present invention is an improvement on the index or register disclosed in the co-p-ending application of Hans A. Bauer, Serial Ito/683,063, filed July 12, 1946.

'The cards or sheets [4 are similar to those shown in the above mentioned co-pending application of Hans A. Bauer. These cards or sheets are preferably of uniform length except for the bottom card which is somewhat shorter than the remainder, and except for the bottom and top cards each is provided at its forward end with staggered cut -outs ii to permit the indexing and raising of any one of the cards or sheets other than the bottom one along with those overlying or nesting on the top of the one selected. In other words, each card except for the bottom one is of substantially the same length, and all cards intermediate the top and bottom ones are provided with a cut-out. These cut-outs are staggered in such manner that the card or sheet next to the top is provided with a relatively short cutout and with the width of such cut-outs in the lower, succeeding cards increasing across the l front edge thereof until the last or bottom card or sheet which is cut away across its entire width for the reason that this card is not elevated by the selector and indexing mechanism.

The indexing is accomplished through the series of keys or push buttons 6. As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, these keys or push buttons are disposed in spaced and staggered relation with the lower edge or base It of each key seating upon the upper edge of one of a plurality of selector arms ll each having its forward end is disposed in a vertical slot I?) provided in the inturned and downwardly projecting flange 2B of a plate 2i extending completely across or laterally of the base I and mounted within a transverse opening 22 provided in the base.

Secured to the plate 2! as by means of rivets or other securing means 23 is a comb-spring 2% provided with a plurality of upwardly projecting and transversely spaced leaf springs 25 each having a rounded upper end 25 abutting against and applying pressure to the underside of its respective selector arm ll mounted thereabove. Each leaf spring applies pressure to and tends to maintain its selector arm in raised, inoperative position and returns this arm to that position upon release of its key or push button 6. Each selector arm ll pivots or is fulcrumed about its lower forward end l8 and is also permitted limited longitudinal movement as it is depressed by its respective key or push button. At its other end each arm is provided with spaced upstanding fingers or projections 21 and 23 providing an upwardly opening slot 29 therebetween.

The projecting fingers 2'! and 28 of each selector arm when in normal, inoperative position project substantially vertically and are adapted to receive in the slot 29 therebetween an end 33 of a selector wire or member 3!. As clearly shown in Fig. 4, these selector wires are each provided with an arm 32 extending parallel to the opposite longer arm 33 but of substantially less length, and at its other end the arm 33 is provided with an inturned lateral projection 34, the purpose of which is to engage under a selected card or sheet [4 when the selector wire or member 3i is moved to forward position by actuation of its selector arm I1.

Each selector arm at one side thereof is stamped or provided with outwardly bent or.

formed prongs or projections 35 spaced apart an amount sufiicient to conformably receive therebetween one of a series of suitably spaced curved tongues or guide members 38 upstanding from the plate or frame member 25 and preferably formed integral therewith. These guide members are spaced apart an amount to slidebly receive a selector arm ll and are so curved or formed as to guide the longitudinal movement of the selector arms as a key or push button 6 is depressed.

The pivotally mounted cover or closure 1 is formed or provided adjacent its forward end with a transversely extending and depending rib 31, and extending or projecting forwardly from this rib to the extreme end of the cover are formed or provided relatively short and spaced longitudinally extending and depending flanges or parallel ribs 31*. The adjacent lower edges of these ribs are recessed at 38 (see Fig. 4) to provide guiding and aligning surfaces for the sliding movement of the selector wires 3i as they are moved longitudinally for selecting and indexing a desired card or sheet. Secured to the underside of the rib 31 is a plate or frame member 39 channel-shaped at 49 to seat upon and be secured to the base or undersurface of the rib and slotted at its forward end to provide spaced, forwardly extending teeth or projections 41. These teeth or projections are spaced apart an amount sufficient to provide forwardly opening slots for receiving therebetween the upwardly projecting leg 28 of a selector arm I'L To retain the selector wires 3| in elevated position a spring plate or member 42 is provided within the channelled part 4!] of the frame member 39 and having a plurality of upwardly bent spring fingers 43 spaced apart in such manner that a spring finger abuts the undersurface of the longer leg or arm 33 of each selector wire.

Extending across and slidably mounted on the plate or frame member 39 is a slotted cross bar or plate 44 provided with spaced upstanding flanges or shoulders 45 at the rear edge thereof and having its forward edge slotted at 46 with these slots coinciding with the slots in the plate 39 between the teeth or projections M. At each of its opposite sides or ends the bar or plate 44 is bent downwardly at All and then outwardly to provide an inclined ear 48. The purpose of this cross bar or sliding plate 44 is to return the selector wires 3| to their inoperative position each time the cover is closed. This is accomplished by automatically moving this sliding plate smear forwardly byreason eftheicontactiofthe-inclined ears: 48 with similar inclined ears 49: formed. or

provided on-each of apair of upstanding latch.v

arms 50'- provided or formed; at the-opposite ends of a latch bar' it extending. transverse lot and. pivotally mounted at52 on the ends of:zups-tand.- ing legs 53' formed onor bent upwardly from the base plate 21. Forward movementiof: the sliding; bar or plate pauses the upstanding. fiangessor. shoulders @5- to engage the end of each arm .or leg 3 20f the selector wiresxand to return these wires to their torward, inoperative position; This latch bar '5 and' the-pair of. latch arms. $50 maintain the cover or closure :1 in lowered, closed, position by engagement of. .a. dog. 5 310.neach; of. the latch arms engaging over .theuend of an inclinedcat'ch :iifi-projecting forwardly :and upwardly'f-romthe opposite ends :of the plate .or frame. member 39.

To trip the latch bar and release. the. cover when desired, a selected key or push button-6 is depressed and it in turn depresses its respective selector arm ll therebelowancl by reasonof this arm being guided in its movement by the .curved tongue or guide member 36, theselector .arm :is moved rearwardly or away from ztheoperator into contact with an edge 55 of the :base 51 of the latch bar "5'! to thereby tilt "this bar sufiiciently about its pivots 52 to release the. iatch dog ":54 from the-incl-inedcatch 55, whereupon thesprings Ill automatically raise the cover 1 to open pos'ition. At the same time the selector .arm :II in its rearward movement forces the proper selector wire rearwardlyby reasonof :its engagement with the end 30 :of this wire, whereby the. end 36 of this selector wire engages beneath the selected card and whenthe cover 'isreleased the latter carries such selected-card and those overlying it upwardly to open position. To return the latch bar 5! to its enormalor-operative relation to lock the cover in closed position, there is provided a la'tch bar spring 58 at oneendo'f the latch bar and-adjacent to a la'tcharm 50. This spring is preferably formed-of resilient wirerwiith one "end 59 anchored onto the base :of the upstanding leg 53 and the other end 60 hooked under a projecting prong or lug :6! on the latch arm.

The individual cards-or sheets ifiiare-disposed preferably in alphabetical order upon a plate holder -B'2 which may be made or 'iorm'edo'f me'tal or other rigid material "suitable "for the purpose. To-pi-votail-y mount this plate holder in -the index, it is *provided with spaced arcuate projections 63 adapted -to pierce or project through similarly spaced slots 64 in the c-ardssor sheets 14. Atthe opposite edges 0f the plate 'holder are provided upstanding ears or flanges 65 each"prov'idedwvith 'a recess 66 for -receiving=-the:cross-pin or-rod'9 and having its end ST-inclined. 'The endofthe support is further provided "with a plurality J of spaced spring fingers or projections t8 disposed intermediate the arcuate projections 63 and provided with an upwardly curved portion-69 against which the-cross pin or rod 9 abuts .and 'a'rearwardly and'downwardlybent'end 10 adapted to guide the plate-holder onto the cross pin or rod until-the latter "abutsthe part 69 and seats in the recesses BEywhereupon the plate holder and cards are retainedagainstaccidental removal or displacement, but when intended may be readily removed. -A crossbar or substantially L-shaped supporting bracket 1 l "extends transverse of the base andlis securedytheretobyrivets'or theli'ke '12,

To prevent. the-platehelder 5 iron; shi in -er becoming. disenga ed Ln sh h handling, this.v holder. 15; pr forward. end. with a. pair. f: .de projections 73- which are space. the. opposite sides. of: the holder an amp ficient' to. engage against the inner side 0i t e ledges l3, and prevented .from lon itudin is; ing, or sliding movementby an inturned la .14 pnovidedat the. end of each led e... 'i'hils; Wbfill. the cover is closed, theplate holder andthecards carried thereby are retained :in position, bu when theindex is open, and in use. this holder and. cards may be. readily removed.

In the baseof theindexand; between the ledges I13 extending along the interior oi theside, walls. 2, is provideda storage. compartment for. receiving a. quantity-of.:memosheetspr other papers whichare readily accessible upon release or raisr ingot-the .cover .7 and the plate holder .62.

Successive keys or buttons :5 are preferably designated in .alphabeticalorder and with sim-v ilar designations on the cards, or sheets is. In the form shown in the present application and in thev cor-pending application of Hans A. Bauer re.- ferred touabove, the cards beginning at the top are designated from .A to, Z, and similar designations are providedon the keys or buttons reading from left to right. Generally, each key or .button may have twodesignations such as AB, CD, EF, etc., and when the twocards are exposed that. containing .names .beginning with the letter A will appear on the underside of the toner elevatedcardand those beginning with the letter B will appear .on :the ;face,.0f the exposed bottom card.

In the present .device the projection or prong 28'which engages the end 390i .a selector Wireor member3i and theadjacent projection or prong 2:1 which .form therebetween the slot 29. for :receiving the end of the wire are formed or provided with substantially straight sides. By .reason of the disclosed angle of the prongzd should the operator press one key or. button and realize he has made an improper selection .and yetdid not press the key or .button suflicient to .release the cover, he can rectify his error by pressing thedesiredkey or button and be assured of .the proper selection.

It will-be apparent from the above description and the disclosure inthe drawingsthat the present invention provides a .novel index or register for recording the names, telephone numbers, addresses-or other data in alphabetical order and in which'the selector mechanism is automatically returned to inoperativeor neutral position when the cover of the casing is closed. This assures successive and successful operation under anyand all conditions-ofuse. The present device is also so constructedand arranged asto retain the plate holder and cards or sheets carried thereby against accidental displacement during shipment or rough handling.

Having thus disclosed ourinvention, ,we claim:

1. An index or register for recording names, telephone numbers, addresses and the like, upon a-series of cards :arranged in alphabetical order and for selecting a desired card, comprising a adjacent ns QIQQ S. 9,

I casing including a base :and a spring-actuated selector arm'for each key carried in the base and actuated'by'its-key, a selector memberior each arm carried in the cover and actuated by its arm for indexing a selected card and retaining it in the cover, latching mechanism associated with said arms and members for holding the cover in closed position, means for releasing the latching mechanism to thereby permit the cover and the indexed card to be elevated to open position, a member carried by the cover and a part in the base engaging said member for automatically returning the selector members to inoperative position when the cover is closed.

2. In an index, a base, a cover pivotally mounted in the base, latching mechanism for holding the cover in closed position, tension means for biasing the cover to open position upon release of said latching mechanism, a plurality of cards pivotally mounted in the base, key-actuated selector mechanism including selector members in the cover for selecting a desired card and means in the base for simultaneously releasing said latching mechanism upon operation of said selector mechanism whereby the tension means moves the cover to open position carries therewith the selected card, and a slidable plate provided in the cover for engaging the selector members and means in the base for engaging and moving the plate and returning therewith the selector members to inoperative position upon closing the cover.

3. In an index, a base adapted to contain a plurality of cards having recorded thereon data such as names, telephone numbers, addresses and the like, a cover pivotally mounted on and forming a closure for the base and cards, tension means for biasing the cover to open position, latching means for holding the cover closed, mechanism for selecting a desired card and releasing the latching means and cover whereby the cover and selected card are moved into open position, and interengaging parts on the cover and base for releasing the selected card from the cover and returning the selector mechanism tov inoperative position and ready for selection of another card.

4. In an index, a base adapted to contain a plurality of cards having recorded thereon data such as names, telephone numbers and the like, a cover pivotally mounted on and forming a closure for the base and cards, tension means for biasing the cover to open position, latching members on the base and cover for locking the cover in closed position, selector members in the cover for engaging a selected card, manually initiated mechanism in the base for actuating the selector members and releasing the latching members to thereby release the cover and the selected card where by they are moved to open position, a member carried by the cover and means in the base engaging said member for moving the selector members to inoperative position and release the selected card as the cover is moved to closed position.

5. In an index, a base adapted to contain a plurality of cards having recorded thereon data such as names, telephone numbers, addresses and the like, a cover pivotally mounted on and forming a closure for the base and cards, tension means for biasing the cover to open position, a latch bar for holding the cover closed, mechanism for selecting a desired card and including means for tripping the latch bar icr releasing the cover whereby the cover and selected card are moved into open position, a member slidable in the cover for returning the selecting mechanism to inoperative position, and projections on said member and latch bar for actuating said member as the cover is moved to closed position,

all!

6. In an index for recording, selecting and exposing any one of a plurality of cards containing names, telephone numbers, addresses and other desired data by the manipulation of a selected one of a plurality of push buttons, a casing including a base and a spring-actuated cover therefor pivotally mounted at one end in the base and biased to open position, a plate holder also pivotally mounted at one end in the base, a plurality of cards disposed on said plate holder in alphabetical relation and adapted to be connected to and opened with the cover, a sliding plate carried in the cover and means in the base engaging and moving said plate for automatically releasing the cards upon closing of the cover.

7. In an index for recording, selecting and exposing any one of a plurality of cards containing names, telephone numbers, addresses and other desired data by the simple manipulation of one of a plurality of push buttons, comprising a casing including a base and a spring-actuated cover therefor pivotally mounted at one end in the base, a plate holder also pivotally mounted at one end in the base, a plurality of cards disposed thereon and adapted to be raised with the cover, and depending projections provided at the other end of the plate for securing the plate and cards against accidental or unintentional displacement.

8. In a telephone index for recordin names, numbers, addresses or other data for convenient use and ready reference, a casing having a base, a cover pivotally mounted on the base, a plurality of cards containing the desired data, a plate providing a support for said cards and upon which the cards are pivotally mounted, means for de tachably mounting one end of said plate in the casing and means adjacent the other end of said plate for securing the plate against shifting or relative movement when the cover is closed.

9. In an index, a casing including a base and a spring-actuated cover biased to open position, a plurality of cards for recording names, telephone numbers, addresses and the like, means for pivotally mounting the cards in the casing, means for latching the cover to the base, mechanism for selecting a desired card and simultaneously releasing the latching means whereby the selected card is carried with the cover into open position, said selecting mechanism including a plurality of selector arms carried in the base and a similar number of selector members carried in the cover, upwardly projecting spaced prongs carried on the end of each arm and adapted to receive therebetween an end of a selector member, means for moving the end of each selector member into alignment with the spaced prongs, and manually operable means for depressing a selected arm to cause it to move its selector member to engage beneath a selected card, said prongs having their adjacent sides substantially vertically arranged whereby to assure the operator of proper selection when the cover is released.

10. In an index, a casing including a base and a spring-actuated cover biased to open position, a plurality of cards for recording names, telephone numbers, addresses and the like, means ior pivotally mounting the cards in the casing, means for latching the cover to the base, mechanism for selecting a desired card and simultaneously releasing the latching means whereby the selected card is carried with the cover into open position,

said selecting mechanism including a plurality of selector arms carried in the base and a similar number of selector members carried in the cover, upwardly projecting spaced prongs carried on the end of each arm and adapted to receive thereand a push button for depressing each arm to cause said arm to pivot and move its selector member to engage beneath a selected card, said prongs being substantially vertically arranged whereby to assure the operator of proper selection when the cover is released.

GEORGE MENNING. ERNEST H. SEIBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,441,273 Fuller Jan. 9, 1923 2,341,983 Faas Feb. 15, 1 944 

